Firewall Security Company India Complete Firewall Security Solutions Provider Company in India
Ukraine bans use of Telegram on these devices on ‘spying concerns’ – ET CISO
https://etimg.etb2bimg.com/thumb/msid-113587759,imgsize-16756,width-1200,height=765,overlay-etciso/ot-security/ukraine-bans-use-of-telegram-on-these-devices-on-spying-concerns.jpg
Ukraine has banned the use of Telegram on government-issued devices due to concerns that Russia can use the app to spy on communications and track users, a report has said. The ban was announced by the National Security and Defence Council after the head of military intelligence presented evidence of Russian surveillance capabilities on the platform.
According to a report by news agency Reuters, Andriy Kovalenko, head of the security council’s centre on countering disinformation, clarified that the restrictions apply only to work phones, not personal devices.
The report also says that since the war between Ukraine and Russia broke out in 2022, Telegram has become a critical source of information.
The Security Council statement said Kyrylo Budanov, head of Ukraine’s GUR military intelligence agency, had provided evidence that Russian special services could access Telegram messages, including deleted ones, as well as users’ personal data.
“I have always supported and continue to support freedom of speech, but the issue of Telegram is not a matter of freedom of speech, it is a matter of national security,” Budanov said.
What Telegram has to say
Telegram has issued a statement saying it has never disclosed anyone’s data.
“We would be interested in reviewing any evidence that supports Mr. Budanov’s claims. However, to our knowledge, no such evidence exists. Telegram has never provided any messaging data to any country, including Russia. Deleted messages are deleted forever and are technically impossible to recover. Every instance of supposed “leaked messages” Telegram has investigated has been the result of a compromised device, whether through confiscation or malware,” said the company in a statement.
As per Telemetrio database, about 33,000 Telegram channels are active in Ukraine, Reuters report said. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is reported to regularly publish updates on war and important decisions on Telegram.
